Notably, market performance suffered in the wake of Hurricane Ike, which made landfall in Texas in September 2008. Blame steep losses that followed on the financial crisis, which sent the economy into a downward spiral.

Investor’s Corner

The answer to the question ultimately depends on how storms may affect longer-run economic growth.

They can have a short-term negative impact on the economy, as economic activity slows in the affected region. We sometimes see a spurt of growth tied to rebuilding efforts.

Longer term, the data suggest there has been no appreciable impact on the broader market and the U.S. economy.